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Energy

Overall, do you think President Obama is or is not doing enough to solve the country's energy problems?

Doing
enough

Not
enough

Doing too
much (vol.)

No
opinion

2011 Mar 25-27

28%

65

*

6

* Less than 0.5%

Which comes closer to your view about increasing the number of nuclear power plants in the country -- [ROTATED: nuclear power is necessary to help solve the country's current energy problems, (or) the dangers of nuclear power are too great, even if it would help solve the country's current energy problems]?

Nuclear power is
necessary

Nuclear power is
too dangerous

No
opinion

%

%

%

2011 Mar 25-27 ^

46

48

6

2001 May 18-20

49

46

5

^ Asked of a half sample

Doyou think the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska should or should not be opened up for oil exploration?

Yes, should

No, should not

No opinion

%

%

%

2011 Mar 3-6 ^

49

45

6

2008 Mar 6-9

43

52

6

2005 Mar 7-10

42

53

5

2002 Mar 18-20

35

56

9

^ Asked of a half sample

Do you favor or oppose increasing offshore drilling for oil and gas in U.S. coastal areas?

Favor

Oppose

No opinion

%

%

%

2011 Mar 3-6 ^

60

37

3

2010 May 24-25

50

46

4

^ Asked of a half sample

(Asked of those who oppose increased offshore drilling)Do you oppose any drilling for oil and gas in U.S. coastal areas, or do you only oppose increased drilling for oil and gas beyond what is currently being done?

COMBINED RESULTS: BASED ON NATIONAL ADULTS

Favor
increased
offshore
drilling

Oppose
increased
drilling only

Oppose any
drilling

No
opinion

2010 May 24-25

50%

27

19

4

Next, I'm going to read a list of actions Congress could take this year. Please say whether you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose Congress doing each of the following this year. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

Pass an energy bill that expands drilling and exploration for oil and gas

Strongly
favor

Favor

Oppose

Strongly
oppose

No
opinion

2011 Jan 14-16

32%

33

18

15

2

Pass an energy bill that provides incentives for using solar and other alternative energy sources

Strongly
favor

Favor

Oppose

Strongly
oppose

No
opinion

2011 Jan 14-16

47%

36

10

5

1

Have you, personally, taken any steps this year to make your home more energy efficient, or not?

Yes, have

No, have not

No opinion

2009 Nov 20-22

68%

32

1

(Asked of those who have taken steps to make their home more energy efficient)Did you take steps to make your home more energy efficient -- [ROTATED: mostly to save money (or) mostly to improve the environment]?

COMBINED RESULTS: BASED ON NATIONAL ADULTS

2009 Nov 20-22

%

Taken steps to make home more energy efficient

68

(Mostly to save money)

(48)

(Mostly to help environment)

(18)

(Unspecified)

(2)

Not taken steps

32

No opinion

1

Would you prefer the government to increase, decrease, or not change the financial support and incentives it gives for producing energy from alternative sources such as wind and solar?

Increase

Decrease

Not change

No opinion

2009 Mar 5-8

77%

8

13

3

Would you prefer the government to increase, decrease or not change the financial support and incentives it gives for producing energy from traditional sources such as oil and gas?

Increase

Decrease

Not change

No opinion

2009 Mar 5-8

39%

30

28

3

If a presidential candidate said that the energy problem would not be solved unless Americans changed their habits to use less energy, would that make you -- [ROTATED: more likely to vote for him, would it not make any difference, (or would it make you) less likely to vote for him]?

More likely
to vote for

No
difference

Less likely
to vote for

No opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

28%

54

17

1

Thinking now about some of the solutions offered to address the energy situation in the United States, please say whether you would be more likely or less likely to vote for a candidate who supported -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

A. Easing restrictions on offshore domestic drilling

More likely
to vote for

Less likely
to vote for

No
difference
(vol.)

No
opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

57%

31

9

3

(vol.) = Volunteered response

B. Suspending the federal gasoline tax for several months

More likely
to vote for

Less likely
to vote for

No
difference
(vol.)

No
opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

46%

39

13

2

C. Building more nuclear power plants

More likely
to vote for

Less likely
to vote for

No
difference
(vol.)

No
opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

47%

41

9

3

D. Authorizing a $150 billion investment by the federal government in research on bio-fuels and clean energy sources

More likely
to vote for

Less likely
to vote for

No
difference
(vol.)

No
opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

64%

25

8

3

(vol.) = Volunteered response

E. Offering a $300 million government prize for the development of an electric car with a long-lasting battery

More likely
to vote for

Less likely
to vote for

No
difference
(vol.)

No
opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

50%

34

14

2

F. Establishing tax incentives to encourage energy conservation

More likely
to vote for

Less likely
to vote for

No
difference
(vol.)

No
opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

69%

20

9

2

G. Raising fuel mileage standards on vehicles

More likely
to vote for

Less likely
to vote for

No
difference
(vol.)

No
opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

68%

20

10

2

(vol.) = Volunteered response

H. Imposing a windfall profits tax on oil companies

More likely
to vote for

Less likely
to vote for

No
difference
(vol.)

No
opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

58%

31

7

4

I. Establishing price controls on gasoline

More likely
to vote for

Less likely
to vote for

No
difference
(vol.)

No
opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

62%

28

8

2

J. Releasing up to 10% of the U.S. strategic petroleum reserve

More likely
to vote for

Less likely
to vote for

No
difference
(vol.)

No
opinion

2008 Jul 25-27

53%

33

10

4

(vol.) = Volunteered response

Please tell me whether you think each of the following deserves a great deal of blame, some blame, not much blame, or no blame at all for the country's current energy problems. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

A. The current Bush administration

Great
deal

Some

Not
much

None
at all

No
opinion

2008 May 30-Jun 1 ^

49%

36

9

5

1

2006 Mar 10-12 ^

38%

43

10

8

1

2001 May 18-20

20%

34

18

26

2

^ Asked of a half sample

B. U.S. oil companies

Great
deal

Some

Not
much

None
at all

No
opinion

2008 May 30-Jun 1 ^

60%

30

5

4

1

2006 Mar 10-12 ^

49%

40

5

4

2

2001 May 18-20

52%

35

6

5

2

^ Asked of a half sample

C. Environmental laws and regulations

Great
deal

Some

Not
much

None
at all

No
opinion

2008 May 30-Jun 1 ^

25%

46

16

10

3

2006 Mar 10-12 ^

19%

49

14

15

4

2001 May 18-20

23%

47

14

12

4

^ Asked of a half sample

D. Foreign countries that produce oil

Great
deal

Some

Not
much

None
at all

No
opinion

2008 May 30-Jun 1 ^

46%

39

8

6

1

2006 Mar 10-12 ^

31%

46

12

9

2

2001 May 18-20

44%

37

9

8

2

^ Asked of a half sample

E. American consumers

Great
deal

Some

Not
much

None
at all

No
opinion

2008 May 30-Jun 1 ^

31%

47

11

10

1

2006 Mar 10-12 ^

25%

54

10

10

1

2001 May 18-20

22%

47

13

17

1

^ Asked of a half sample

F. Congress

Great
deal

Some

Not
much

None
at all

No
opinion

2008 May 30-Jun 1 ^

44%

45

7

2

2

2001 May 18-20

31%

51

9

6

3

^ Asked of a half sample

G. U.S. automobile companies

Great
deal

Some

Not
much

None
at all

No
opinion

2008 May 30-Jun 1 ^

31%

46

11

10

2

2006 Mar 10-12 ^

27%

52

10

10

1

^ Asked of a half sample

Overall, do you think President Bush is or is not doing enough to solve the country's energy problems?

Doing
enough

Not
enough

Doing too
much (vol.)

No
opinion

2008 May 30-Jun 1 ^

17%

78

2

3

2006 Mar 10-12 ^

24%

71

*

5

2001 May 18-20

38%

55

1

6

* Less than 0.5%

(vol.) = Volunteered response

^ Asked of a half sample

Who do you think should have the primary responsibility for spending money to develop alternative sources of energy to gasoline -- [ROTATED: the government, the automobile companies, (or) energy or oil companies]?

Government

Automobile
companies

Energy/Oil
companies

No
opinion

2008 May 30-Jun 1

49%

30

12

9

2006 Mar 10-12

38%

24

33

5

Overall, would you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the construction of a nuclear energy plant in your area as one of the ways to provide electricity for the U.S.?

ASKED OF A HALF SAMPLE

Strongly
favor

Some-
what
favor

Some-
what
oppose

Strongly
oppose

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

2007 Mar 11-14

13

27

15

44

2

2006 Mar 13-16

14

28

18

37

3

2005 Mar 7-10

11

24

19

44

2

2004 Mar 8-11

10

27

22

37

4

2001 Mar 5-7

11

23

19

44

3

Now, thinking about the cost and availability of electricity, gasoline, natural gas, and other forms of energy, would you say the country -- [ROTATED: is in a state of crisis, has major problems, has minor problems, (or) has no problems at all]?

State
of crisis

Major
problems

Minor
problems

No
problems

No
opinion

2006 Mar 10-12

12%

49

35

3

1

2003 Feb 17-19

9%

40

44

6

1

2001 May 18-20 ^

12%

59

25

3

1

2001 Jan 15-16

14%

54

29

3

*

* Less than 0.5%

^ Asked of a half sample

Looking ahead, do you think -- [ROTATED: the global supply of oil will always be able to keep up with the demand for oil around the world, (or do you think) the world will eventually run short of oil sometime in the future]?

Always keep up
with demand

Will eventually
run short of oil

No
opinion

2006 Mar 10-12

20%

77

3

Just your best guess, how many years do you think it will be before the world runs short of oil?

[ASKED OF THOSE WHO SAY WORLD'S SUPPLY OF OIL WILL EVENTUALLY RUN SHORT]

2006
Mar 10-12

%

Less than 25 years

39

Twenty-five years to less than 50 years

16

Fifty years to less than 100 years

22

One hundred years or more

14

No opinion

8

[COMBINED RESPONSES]

2006
Mar 10-12

%

Will always keep up with the demand

20

Will eventually run short of oil

77

(In less than 25 years)

(30)

(In 25 to less than 50 years)

(13)

(In 50 to less than 100 years)

(17)

(In 100 years or more)

(11)

(Unspecified)

(6)

No opinion

3

Just your best guess, how likely is it that terrorists will attempt a major attack against oil producing facilities or oil supplies somewhere in the world within the next 12 months -- very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely?

Slightly more Americans agree (52%) than disagree (45%) that the federal government is responsible for making sure all Americans have healthcare coverage. This balance of views is similar to last year.

Americans' daily self-reports of spending averaged $98 in November, up from $93 in October. The latest figure is the highest average recorded for the month of November since Gallup began tracking consumer spending in 2008.

Americans are now almost evenly split on whether to amend the U.S. Constitution to replace the Electoral College with a popular vote system for electing presidents. In the past, Americans preferred the popular vote.